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Immigration Statistics Q1 January/February/March 2016

Asylum applications from main applicants increased by 38% to 34,687 in the year ending March 2016, the highest number of applications since the year ending September 2004 (36,305). The largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,305), followed by Eritrea (3,321), Iraq (2,805), Sudan (2,769), Pakistan (2,669) and Syria (2,539). Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 30% to 41,563 in the year ending March 2016. There was around 1 dependant for every 5 main applicants.

Selected extracts below:

Outcome for asylum applications: Of the 25,033 main applicants who applied for asylum in 2014, 20,585 initial decisions had been made as at August 2015 when the statistics were compiled, including 9,230 grants and 11,355 refusals. A total of 8,436 appeals were lodged against decisions made on applications from 2014. Of these, 42%
(3,553) were dismissed, 19% (1,635) were granted asylum or another form of protection and 38% were either withdrawn or the outcome was unknown at the time the statistics were compiled.

Support provided to asylum seekers: At the end of March 2016, 35,683 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported in the UK under Section 95 (either in supported accommodation or receiving subsistence only support), compared with 30,476 at the end of March 2015. Although this number has risen since 2012, the figure remains considerably below that for the end of 2003 (the start of the published data series), when there were 80,123 asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 support.

Applications pending: At the end of March 2016, 26,492 applications (received since April 2006) from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review), 22% more than at the end of March 2015 (21,651). The number pending an initial decision for more than 6 months increased by 62% (from 3,127 to 5,059) while those pending further review decreased by 16% to 7,364.

Asylum appeals: The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 12,799 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending March 2016, a 15% rise compared with the previous year (11,082).

Dependants: Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 30% from 32,036 in the year ending March 2015 to 41,563 in the year ending March 2016. This is an average of 1 dependant for every 5 main applicants. In the same period, 7,095 initial decisions were made relating to dependants. Of these 1,861 (26%) were grants of asylum, or an alternative form of protection, and 5,234 (74%) were refusals.

People entering detention: The number of people entering detention in year ending March 2016 increased by 4% to 32,163 from 30,902 in the previous year. Over the same period there was an 8% increase in those people leaving detention (from 30,326 to 32,610). There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention in the year ending March 2015 of 51% to 45% in year ending March 2016. Conversely, there was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release (TA/TR), from 39% to 44%. As at the end of March 2016, 2,925 people were in detention, 16% lower than the number recorded at the end of March 2015 (3,483). The fall may be partially attributed to the closure of Haslar IRC in April 2015 and Dover IRC in October 2015, and changes to the detained fast track asylum process, as well as changes in the numbers of people requiring detention.

People leaving detention by nationality: In the year ending March 2016, 32,610 people left detention. Pakistani nationals accounted for the highest number of people leaving (3,302), a decrease of 25% compared with year ending March 2015 (4,409).

Children in detention: The number of children entering detention in year ending March 2016 was 110, 24% lower than the previous year (144). This was a 90% fall compared with the beginning of the data series in 2009 (1,119).

Of the 113 children leaving detention in year ending March 2016, 33 were removed from the UK and 77 were granted temporary admission or temporary release. Of those leaving detention, 104 had been detained for seven days or less, two for between 8 and 14 days, four for between 15 and 28 days, two for between 29 days and 2 months and one for over 3 months. There were no children in detention as at 31 March 2016.

Immigration detainees in prisons: As at 28 March 2016, there were 363 detainees held in prison establishments in England and Wales solely under immigration powers as set out in the Immigration Act 1971 or UK Borders Act 2007.

Enforced removals from the UK decreased by 8% to 11,637 in year ending March 2016 compared with the previous 12 month period (12,661). In the year ending March 2016, there were 13,193 enforced returns.
This includes 11,637 enforced removals and 1,556 other returns from detention.

The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed has increased by 9% in year ending March 2016, to 17,752 from
16,302 in year ending March 2015. The number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departing has been increasing slowly since 2012. In the year ending March 2016, provisional data show there were 5,692 returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs), using enforcement powers or via deportation. This was an 8% increase on the previous year (5,277).